MEGESTROL - ORAL
Common Brand Name(s): Megace
Phonetic Pronunciation: (meh-JESS-troll)
Information last revised May 2010
What does MEGESTROL-ORAL look like?
megestrol 40 mg Tab
megestrol 20 mg Tab
megestrol 20 mg Tab
megestrol 40 mg Tab
megestrol 40 mg Tab
megestrol 20 mg Tab
Uses:
This medication is used to treat cancer of the breast or uterus. It may be used alone or with other treatments, including surgery and radiation, to stop the growth of your tumor. It may also be used to increase your appetite and to prevent or reverse significant weight loss (e.g., muscle wasting in cancer or AIDS). This can result in an increase in your sense of well-being and your physical ability. Megestrol is similar to a natural substance made by the body called progesterone. It is not known how megestrol helps appetite or stops tumor growth.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.
How To Use
Take this medication by mouth, exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Your dosage is based on your medical condition and response to therapy. Use this medication regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, take it at the same times each day. It may take several weeks of continued use to see a benefit. Inform your doctor if your condition does not improve or if it worsens.
Drug Interactions
Your healthcare professionals (e.g., doctor or pharmacist) may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first. This drug should not be used with the following medication because a very serious interaction may occur: dofetilide. If you are currently using the medication listed above, tell your doctor or pharmacist before starting megestrol. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal medicines you may use, especially of: indinavir, diabetes medication (e.g., glipizide, glyburide, insulin). This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.
Medical Alert
Your condition can cause complications in a medical emergency. For enrollment information call MedicAlert at 1-800-854-1166 (USA), or 1-800-668-1507 (Canada).
Notes
Do not share this medication with others. Make sure you see your doctor regularly to see how well the medication is working and to check for any side effects, including high blood pressure or high blood sugar levels.
Overdose
If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents can call the US national poison hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Canadian residents should call their local poison control center directly.
Precautions
Before taking megestrol, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: adrenal gland problems (e.g., Cushing's syndrome), blood clots, congestive heart failure, diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney problems, unusual vaginal bleeding. High blood sugar (hyperglycemia) and worsening of diabetes may occur. Symptoms of high blood sugar include thirst, increased urination, confusion, drowsiness, flushing, rapid breathing, or fruity breath odor. If these symptoms occur, tell your doctor immediately. People with diabetes should monitor their blood sugar levels more frequently when they start taking this medication and whenever the dose changes since they may need to change their doses of diabetic medications. This drug may decrease adrenal gland activity. Make sure you tell your doctors and dentists of your megestrol use and when you stopped using it. After stopping this drug, additional corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone or hydrocortisone) may be necessary in stressful situations such as trauma, major surgery or serious infection. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for details. Symptoms of adrenal problems include unusual weakness, dizziness, nausea and rapid weight loss. Kidney function declines as you grow older. This medication is removed by the kidneys. Therefore, elderly people may be more sensitive to this drug and to its side effects. This medication must not be used during pregnancy. Megestrol may cause harm to your unborn baby. If you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant, inform your doctor immediately. Women of childbearing age should use an effective form of birth control while using this medication. Consult your doctor for more details. Megestrol may pass into breast milk and could have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Therefore, breast-feeding is not recommended while using this drug. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.
Storage
Store the US product at room temperature at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C). Brief storage between 59 and 86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C) is permitted. Do not expose to temperatures above 104 degrees F (40 degrees C). . Store the Canadian product at room temperature between 59-86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C). Store the medication away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets. Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.
Side Effects
This medication can cause weight gain, changes in appetite, stomach upset, diarrhea, gas, trouble sleeping, decreased sexual ability/desire, or fever. Women may experience changes in their menstrual periods, including unpredictable bleeding. If any of these effects persist or worsen, inform your doctor promptly. Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. Tell your doctor immediately if any of these rare but serious side effects occur: fast/pounding heartbeat, headache, swelling of hands/feet, fatigue. Seek immediate medical attention if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: chest pain, confusion, mental/mood changes, weakness/numbness on one side of the body, pain/redness/swelling of arms or legs, slurred speech, trouble breathing, severe or sudden vision changes. A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction include: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing. This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. In the US - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.
Other Uses
This section contains uses of this drug that are not listed in the approved professional labeling for the drug but that may be prescribed by your health care professional. Use this drug for a condition that is listed in this section only if it has been so prescribed by your health care professional. This medication may also be used to treat prostate cancer or certain conditions of the female reproductive system (e.g., endometriosis).
This is a summary and does NOT have all possible information about this product. This information does not assure that this product is safe, effective, or appropriate for you. This information is not individual medical advice and does not substitute for the advice of your health care professional. Always ask your health care professional for complete information about this product and your specific health needs.
The information contained in the First DataBank databases is intended to supplement the knowledge of physicians, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals regarding drug therapy problems and patient counselling information. This information is advisory only and is not intended to replace sound clinical judgment in the delivery of healthcare services. First DataBank disclaims all warranties, whether expressed or implied, including any warranty as to the quality, accuracy, and suitability of this information for any purpose.
Copyright 2010 First DataBank, Inc.
